Meet Parishioner Owen Talberg: Joyfully Embracing a Lifelong Commitment to the Faith

Owen Talberg would say there was a time in his life when he took the faith for granted. Now as he prepares for college at St. John’s University, Owen is making an intentional choice to keep his faith.

“The faith has a certain power, but at some point as you grow up, you have to decide if you’re going to keep the faith or not,” Owen says. “Going to Catholic elementary and middle school has helped me keep my faith in high school and as I prepare for college.”

Owen has been a lifelong member of St. Mary’s, where he was baptized, and he attended Mary of Lourdes through middle school.

“It’s easy to stay connected to God when you’re attending Catholic school,” Owen says. “I would like to thank all the teachers from Mary of Lourdes. They did such an amazing job and were major advocates for God and the faith, and I understand more now how that’s a very hard thing to do in today’s world.”

When Owen began attending Little Falls Community High School, he did his best to stay in touch with all the things he felt he had left behind at Catholic school. This included being an altar server for Mass, as well as at weddings and funerals.

“Altar serving was the biggest thing for me,” he says. “I can physically contribute to God’s grace in a simple way by helping our priests and deacons. I still serve and my little brother does too. I hope he continues doing that as I head off to college.”

Owen’s stepdad actually attributes his interest in the Catholic faith to Owen’s serving as an altar server.

“My stepdad has really been an advocate for my relationship with God,” Owen says. “He used to take me to Mass to serve and would watch and listen. Now he has received his Confirmation and entered the Church.”

During this last summer before college begins, Owen has been attending a men’s Bible study on Saturday mornings. The experience has been particularly impactful for him as he hears multiple perspectives from men in the faith community.

“I’ve been listening and seeing the ways they’re handling different situations in life and their different points of view,” he says. “I love that group because there is always a sense of being there to help each other make sure we don’t lose sight of God.”

Owen would like to thank his grandmother for always being there for him and his faith community for helping him keep the faith into his adult life. He encourages young adults to find different opportunities to be involved in the parish.

“Commit to something, even if it’s just going and being involved in Sunday Mass,” Owen says. “There is always going to be that fear of judgment and that people don’t understand what believing in God means. Don’t be afraid of that. At some point in the future, you’ll look back and see how your faith life and your relationship with God have changed because you were committed.”

Owen Talberg